a peek inside the fishbowl

When I got the gig with Canadian Family Magazine the first thing I did (other than let out a big whoop and do a happy dance around my office) was hire my daughter Sarah to be my assistant. Her job, every week, is to help me with the craft. She helps plan, design, clean up, and she also poses for pictures where required.

She took on a bigger role with week’s craft. I have been swamped with work, and then there’s the reno stuff too, and to add to it all I have come down with a yucky cold this week… and it’s hard to be creative with a runny nose and a head that feels like it’s filled with slow-moving molasses.

Sarah, I declared. We are making shadow puppets for this week’s column. Go to it kid.

And she did. I was working on another article while she beavered away with the cardstock and our X-acto knife set so I had no idea how this was going to turn out.

Sidebar: YES. I let her use an X-acto knife. And it terrifies me. I have to force myself to turn away and not hover. I live in fear that her hand is going to slip and that she’s going to slice herself, but she’s 11. 11! So I have to let go of that fear. So when she gets out the X-actos I simply remind her to be careful (which sounds crazy as I type that out, as if a REMINDER is going to prevent a trip to CHEO) and step away and hope that nothing happens. Ack. Maybe I should invest in a chainmail butcher’s glove?

ANYWAY, her goal was to create a royal family (Prince, Princess, and Royal Horse) and this is what she came up with:

The horse ended up on the cutting room floor so to speak, but we replaced it with a bunny, so it’s ok.

I think she did a great job.  Just look at that dress, and the puffed sleeves, that upturned nose, and that hair! Amazing. I think she deserves a bonus this week, don’t you?

You can get the whole how-to over at the Canadian Family website!